Album Review

On the title cut of John Flynn's Dragon, the winged beast serves as a metaphor for all is that is wrong in the land of the free. While heroes and martyrs once cowed the dragon, the monster has learned to accomplish its evil task by hiding behind corporate walls. In "She Moves Me," Flynn takes what seems like a typical singer/songwriter love song and transforms the love object into a mystical force that is awe-inspiring but finally unidentified. If this sounds a bit heavy, it is, but Flynn effectively delivers his messages and mysticism to the sounds of full-band arrangements and genial, weathered vocals. Over the course of a dozen songs, he expands his lyrical and musical vision of a kinder, gentler new world order. He doesn't mind name-calling, mentioning both George, as in George W. Bush, and Ashcroft, as in Bush's attorney general, in "Minnie Lou," or bashing religious extremists, whether they be Christian or Muslim, in "Not With My Jesus." The backing band, including great guitar work from Duke Levine, and the vocals, with a guest appearance by Kris Kristofferson, further sweeten the album's appeal. While Flynn's biggest audience may be liberals disaffected with post-millennium American politics, his good-natured performances on Dragon keep the material from ever seeming like a Ralph Nader rally. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford Jr., Rovi

Biography

Genre: Country

Years Active: '90s

A prolific singer/songwriter and performer, having worked as an EMI staff writer and having received numerous songwriting awards for his original compositions, Philadelphia's John Flynn has remained one of the better kept secrets in the Americana scene. Having started writing while at college at Temple, he was introduced to songwriter Livingston Taylor backstage at a Gene Shay concert and was asked to perform some of his original material....